This week:
- Heat crash out of WBBL
- Why England players haven’t fared too well in the WPL auction
- 2026 English domestic fixtures announced
- Erin Osborne to shake things up at Somerset
- FairBreak’s questionable decision to set up in Saudi Arabia
CRICKETher
Women's Cricket News & Views
CRICKETher 
Totally agree with you re Saudi Arabia! It’s an horrific proposition, but, sadly, cricket is following on from soccer, golf & tennis, which have already succumbed to the lure of mega earnings.😱😱😱😱
Far too many franchises will only serve to spread the interest amongst fans very thinly…and, are there enough female players available, or will we simply see the same familiar faces on some form of merry go round.
My mantra of ‘Quality over quantity’ can be applied to cricket, the way it is going!
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Whilst I do not support any form of discrimination, I find it confusing how as a nation we are able to pick and choose to which countries indiscretions we find unacceptable.
All countries seem to have varying levels of discrimination, India has openly said that anyone with Pakistani hereditary will not be selected for WPL, China/Hong Kong’s human rights record is questionable, Pakistan, UAE, African nations and even UK and USA are not above reproach. I think it is perhaps too late to develop a conscience with Saudi Arabia, (whom the British government seem not to be offended when trading with them). Saudi Arabia already host world tournaments such as, Formula 1, Golf, Horse racing. The Football World Cup and Tennis in the future.
Female cricketers without England contracts are relatively poorly paid (I know they get more than they used to… but still way below the men and substantially below what they could get using their degrees in the workplace), so perhaps this Saudi tournament may open up opportunities for other players here and around the world, so spreading the wealth.
It is very easy to be principled when you are relatively affluent, but sometimes the only way you can encourage change is by dialogue and being a part of it.
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